~CHAPTER 17~
Dianu Ortensa was beautiful.
And she wasn’t dull enough not to know it.
The Sirene Girls’ Academy, where Dianu had graduated, stood next to a boys’ school.
When classes ended, the boys would hang over the fence and throw flowers, candies, and letters.
She was used to the attention wherever she went, and to the effortless kindness from men.
But this situation was entirely new to her.
“Where are you from? I don’t think I’ve seen you around the capital before.”
“To be Her Highness the Princess’s tutor, you must be quite talented. How long have you been in the palace?”
“Do you enjoy horseback riding? Or perhaps music?”
Strangers kept speaking to her, one after another.
As soon as one stepped back, another filled the space.
It felt like being cornered prey.
‘Sir Loisen, please hurry!’
She was growing resentful of Sir Loisen, who had left saying he’d bring drinks.
Her forced smile was on the verge of cramping.
She was seriously considering feigning nausea just to escape when the noisy air suddenly quieted.
A calm voice cut through the crowd of young men.
“Good evening, Lady Ortensa.”
The circle around Dianu naturally opened.
Through it stepped a noblewoman with pale blond hair.
Her nearly white hair and delicate build gave her an overall faint impression.
But her upright posture made her look noble rather than frail.
She exchanged a small glance with the bowing men before stopping in front of Dianu.
With a friendly tone, she greeted her.
“How have you been?”
“Pardon? Oh, yes…”
Dianu was confused.
She had met this noblewoman only once before at Oak Palace.
Back then, she had been fixing her hair after a ribbon snapped and had accidentally run into her, leaving her embarrassed.
They hadn’t even exchanged names, so this sudden familiarity baffled her.
Despite Dianu’s hesitant response, the noblewoman continued talking with a pleasant air.
As the conversation stretched on, the watching young men began to leave one by one with disappointed looks.
Only then did Dianu realize the lady had stepped in to help her.
Once the others had gone far enough, the woman smiled softly.
“You looked troubled, so I took the liberty of interrupting. I hope that wasn’t rude.”
Dianu bowed her head with genuine gratitude.
“Thank you for helping me.”
“Think nothing of it. By the way, that dress suits you beautifully. I’m glad my choice worked out.”
“Sorry? Your choice?”
“This is our first proper introduction, isn’t it? I’m Adelaisa of Velua.”
The lady curtsied gracefully.
Dianu was relieved that she knew what to say in such a moment.
Otherwise, she might have failed to hide her surprise at the name.
“…It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Velua. I am Dianu Ortensa, tutor to Her Highness Princess Elpenlira.”
“Please, call me Adelaisa. I’ll call you by your name as well.”
Had they met under different circumstances, Dianu might have been cautious.
But curiosity got the better of her.
“You said you chose my dress earlier—what did you mean by that?”
“Just what I said. The dress you’re wearing and the ribbon in your hair were my selections. His Majesty said he needed a young lady’s eye for taste, so I was glad to assist.”
Dianu felt her ears grow hot.
‘So… His Majesty didn’t choose them himself.’
Thinking logically, that made perfect sense.
The Emperor had only wanted to give her a gift.
The ribbons, the dress, the shoes, the jewels—he hadn’t handpicked them himself while thinking of her.
The realization stung.
She was embarrassed that she’d even entertained such a fantasy.
At least the Emperor couldn’t read her mind.
If he could, she might have wanted to die of shame.
Perhaps noticing the change in her expression, Adelaisa looked slightly worried.
“You don’t like the dress? I only saw you in passing, but I tried to pick something that would suit you.”
Dianu quickly shook her head.
“No, not at all. I love it. I was just… surprised, that’s all.”
Luckily, she didn’t have to say more.
Sir Loisen returned, holding two glasses of wine.
Dianu felt both relieved and irritated at once.
He handed her a glass, then greeted Adelaisa politely.
“Good evening, Lady Velua.”
“Good evening, Sir Loisen. Are you Lady Dianu’s escort tonight?”
“That’s correct.”
“Ah, so that’s why all those gentlemen were glaring at you so fiercely.”
At her light joke, Sir Loisen laughed easily.
Dianu, however, wanted to grab him by the collar and demand an explanation.
Countess Ornin had told her that the Emperor and the Duke of Velua were not on good terms.
That much was obvious from how the Duke had once invoked the Princess before the Emperor.
And yet, his daughter had chosen the Emperor’s gift, and now spoke casually with one of his Imperial Guards?
Nothing about it made sense.
But before she could ask, Adelaisa excused herself.
“It was lovely meeting you, Lady Dianu. I hope we meet again.”
After bowing to both of them, she disappeared into the crowd.
Every gaze followed her—the highest-born lady in Catalos, second only to the Princess herself.
Dianu, her face still flushed, lifted her glass to hide it and whispered.
“Sir Loisen, didn’t you say the Duke of Velua opposed His Majesty?”
“That’s right. As you can see.”
Sir Loisen gestured toward two groups that dominated the Grand Hall of the Fir Palace before the Emperor and Princess had arrived.
Even someone like Dianu, who knew little of palace politics, could tell the divide between them.
The Grand Duchess Ellaris of Erbinjel and the eastern and western lords stood with the Emperor, while the Duke of Velua and the southern nobility formed the opposing faction.
‘So, they’re the core of the anti-Arasas faction.’
Through the crowd, Dianu spotted Adelaisa’s pale face beside the Duke of Velua.
The Duke was animatedly addressing his followers while she nodded quietly, looking every bit the obedient daughter.
“A child can’t choose their parents.”
Sir Loisen’s voice had a rare chill as he looked toward the Duke.
“The Duke is a serpent. He has no right to call himself His Majesty’s vassal, nor a noble of the Empire.”
“…Then why does His Majesty tolerate him?”
“To strike a great serpent, one must first raise a great axe.”
His voice carried unmistakable hostility.
Dianu felt a shiver crawl up her bare arm.
The Emperor’s loyal knight looked ready to charge and behead the Duke right then.
Keeping his cold gaze fixed on Velua, Sir Loisen spoke again.
“You should be careful too, Lady Ortensa. A snake will bite anything within its reach.”
“…I’m only a tutor. I have no reason to be involved with someone like that.”
He glanced at her briefly, clearly unconvinced, but didn’t argue.
Instead, he changed the subject naturally.
“Anyway, judging by the mood, it seems you’ll be dancing quite a lot tonight, Lady Ortensa.”
The same young men who’d been eager to talk earlier still watched them expectantly.
Dianu edged closer to him in alarm.
“If I dance with all of them, I’ll have to crawl back to Oak Palace.”
But a lady couldn’t refuse a gentleman’s invitation.
There was only one way—make sure no one else could ask.
“Please, Sir Loisen. Stay by my side until the ball ends.”
“That’s not difficult… but do you dislike dancing?”
“I like it.”
“Then why—”
“What’s the point of stabbing at food you can’t eat? It just leaves both sides unsatisfied.”
“Food you can’t eat…?”
Sir Loisen couldn’t finish his sentence.
The grand doors, which had remained closed after the guests’ entrance, swung open wide as the sound of trumpets filled the hall.
The cheerful chatter and music stopped at once.
In solemn silence, everyone knelt together.
The Emperor and the Princess had arrived.
